SINGAPORE: After being sidelined at her workplace, a senior employee has begun to seriously consider whether she should accept a job offer that is “a lot more aligned with her interests,” even though it comes with a S$10,000 pay cut.
In a post on the r/singaporefi forum, the senior employee said she currently holds a very “cushy” role at a high-growth tech company, handling “finance and controlling,” with a total annual compensation of S$150,000.
Recently, however, her motivation has taken a hit. “As I’m a mum, I have found myself continually being sidelined, as I am unable to commit to overtime a lot. My manager gives the more visible projects to the younger, ‘hungrier’ ones and focuses more on them,” she wrote.
“I’m pretty experienced (9 years of work experience). I have tried to update my manager regularly on my work and asked for periodic check-ins, but he always doesn’t have time for me.”
She added that although she has been told she is “performing well,” her performance review suggests otherwise.
“During my review, I just got the average performer grade, leading to my increment being set at a paltry 1.5%,” she said. “This has led me to becoming more and more jaded with my current scope because I genuinely managed a lot of projects end-to-end independently but only to be told that it’s not enough.”
Now, here comes her dilemma: she said she recently received a job offer to be a “business intelligence manager” at a European multinational corporation.
Having completed a master’s degree in business analytics and picked up skills in SQL and Python on her own, she sees this as a chance to finally put those capabilities to proper use and grow in a direction she actually cares about.
That said, there is one problem: it comes with a pay cut. “They [the company] would only offer S$140,000, with no dependent benefits as well,” she said.
“I have ADHD, so I am inclined to make hasty decisions so I’m taking some time to think it through, but I’m just wondering if anyone has had any success or horror stories with taking a paycut like this, and if you would advise it.”
“I would choose the role that will allow me more family time.”
In the discussion thread, several Singaporean Redditors encouraged her to accept the job offer for a number of reasons. First, they warned that there’s a possibility she could “eventually be managed out or placed on the list for layoff” if she stayed in her current role.
Second, they highlighted that the European work culture tends to be more supportive and employee-friendly. “They’re also more understanding of family commitment,” one user added.
Finally, they pointed out that “S$10k isn’t much” in the bigger picture.
One user shared, “Speaking from my own experience (MNC, ~20 years), I’d take the cut. Staying in a role that’s unfulfilling and with limited prospects is never worth it (what more for just a difference of S$10k per annum alongside working with a manager who isn’t supportive?).”
They added, “You should assess your career holistically, where you balance progress, fulfillment, purpose, and compensation. From my own personal experience I’ve taken paycuts and lateral moves because I was clear on what I wanted in the long term. Spend some time to understand what you want from your career and make the choice accordingly.”
Some, on the other hand, suggested she remain in her current position because it pays more and allows her to spend more time with her kids.
One user wrote, “S$150k for a non-revenue-generating role is already very lucky. Instead of wanting more increment, just be glad you didn’t get laid off. The truth is in this market the higher your salary, the higher the value in bringing in revenue or cost savings you have to show.”
Another commented, “I would choose the role that will allow me more family time.”
In other news, an HR professional has sparked discussion online after claiming that many Gen Z applicants do not seem particularly interested in the roles they apply for, as they “won’t pick up or return her calls.”
In a post on the r/singaporejobs forum, she shared her recent experience while hiring for a junior role that pays “well above the market rate.” According to her, the position drew strong interest, receiving around 60 applications within just one week.
